UK Weather: Britain Braced For Easter Shower (PICTURES)

Britain is braced for traditional April showers over the Easter holiday as rain and strong winds are predicted.

Forecasters have warned that gales of up to 40mph could hit south west England and south Wales on Easter Monday, with gusts felt across most of the country.

Light showers and cloudy conditions are expected to persist over the weekend, with heavier outbreaks of rain forecast by the end of the Easter break.

The predicted wet weather comes after record high temperatures in Scotland last month, followed by snow which covered parts of northern England and Scotland earlier this week.

Nick Prebble, forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said temperatures should return to normal for this time of the year over the holiday, with a maximum of 13C (55F).

Mr Prebble said: "Our forecasts suggest this weekend's weather should return to what we would expect at this time of year.

"Easter Monday will be wet, windy and unsettled, and bring the traditional April showers.

"We're predicting outbreaks of rain that will be heaviest in western parts of the UK, but should travel across the country.

"It could provide a bit of a reprieve for parts of the country facing drought but a lot more rainfall will be needed.

"Strong gales will pick up on Easter Monday in south west England and south Wales, but there will be fresh winds felt across the country.

"Maximum gusts of 40mph could hit Devon, Cornwall, South Wales and Anglesey, as a result of a low-pressure system coming in from the west coast."

Patchy rain and lighter winds are expected across the UK over the weekend, Mr Prebble added.

He said: "Many areas will see patchy drizzle over the weekend. On Saturday, temperatures will be between 9-12C in southern and western parts of the UK, and a bit chillier in the north and east, between 7-10C.

"On Sunday, we're expecting temperatures to be fairly uniform across the UK at 10-13C."

Here are some pictures of Easter from around the world:

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Tourists enjoy a canal cruise as they pass through Brouwersgracht, or Brewer's Canal, in the center of Amsterdam Friday April 6, 2012. The Dutch Bureau for Tourism and Congresses expects some 850,000 tourist to visit The Netherlands over the Easter weekend. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)